The FA Cup match between Arsenal and Aston Villa featured the unbelievable collapse of Villa and the unintelligible rambling of announcer Martin Tyler.

I offer the following transcript of some of Martin Tyler’s first half play-by-play with words that were understood and portions that were indecipherable (noted as ???)

Uh pessed into service.
. . . in the end (???)
(???) Arsenal making sure . . .
(???) past few days.
(???) against Arsenal.
(???) at the near post.
. . . have been (???) the domestic cup.
(???) from right back.
Walcott is in (???).
(???) Mertesacker.
Van Persie been (???) the corner.
A big (???) by the Villa . . .
American (???).
(???) play (???) Walcott.
(???) because after the game . . .
(???) sitting and watching.
(???) the Ramsey’s and the . . .
(???) always the . . .
. . . footwork (???) the goal keeper.
(???) the Bent.
(???) by Van Persie.
. . . taking on the two (???) of them
(???) shift on the basis of (???) on the team.
(???) do get it right.
(???) to that. Premier League regulations.
In the Cup (???).
(???) just checking back.
(???) in the first half
. . . in the (???) of Shay Given.

The examples above were just from the first half, a time when Tyler talked about a legendary broadcaster who set fire to his suit and said the other person might have tried to stop a career before it started.

In past blog comments, many disagree with my opinion of Tyler. They say Tyler is venerated as one of England’s premier announcers. That is as difficult to understand as Tyler himself. This American loves the work of nearly all of England’s football announcers, including Ian Darke, Jon Champion, Steve Banyard, Jon Champion, Peter Drury, Gary Lineker, Guy Mowbray, and Gary Taphouse.

Martin Tyler may be a wonderful gentlemen who once was at the top of the broadcasting world. But now, many sentences begin with mumbled words while other sentences either have indecipherable words or trail off with no clue of what was said. He seems to be a man who has lost what made him good.

Deal with it. Seriously, you've got issues.
Comment:
"Mute" may be the only way to deal with it. :)

Posted by Aegean1985 on 02/01/2012

Yea, he really has issues.

Posted by zaki on 05/11/2012

martin tyler and peter drury

Comment:
Drury is excellent. Martin Tyler is not. Perhaps past his prime but he mumbles through half of his sentences and tails off at the end. My observations are from a background of 31 years in broadcasting.

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About

John Culea is an American living in San Diego who became hooked on football while serving in the Navy for two years in London. A former TV news Emmy award-winning anchor/reporter, John manages the Premier Fantasy league MCMUARTN and goes by the Fantasy honorary title of "Sir John". John is a devoted Chelsea supporter and offers candid, often off-beat commentaries on the Premier League from an American perspective. He invites open discussion on his blog and can be contacted at sirjohnfantasy@gmail.com.